Longhua sports day breaks barriers for children with special needs

MH Mall in Longhua District hosted a sports event where children with special needs paired up with their peers to form “buddy teams” and compete side by side.

The Sunday event, designed to break social barriers, became one of the most touching highlights of Mission Hill Group’s ongoing Charity Month.

The day began with a warm donation ceremony. Representatives from the Caring Hearts United Fund donated 88,000 yuan (US$12,370) to families of children with special needs. The funds will support rehabilitation training and holistic care. The Longhua District Disabled Persons Service Association accepted the donation as the project implementer, while parent representatives expressed heartfelt gratitude for the continued attention and practical help from the community.

The competition featured five team challenges — slalom runs, crawling obstacles, hoop jumps, rope climbs, and laser cord crossings. Throughout the games, children encouraged and helped each other, completing each task with sweat, laughter, and resilience. Alongside the contests, interactive activities raised awareness about disabilities, including animated explanations and hands-on simulations, helping children without disabilities better understand the needs and potential of their peers.

Children participate in a sports event at MH Mall in Longhua District on Sunday. Courtesy of Mission Hills Group

The event gave children with special needs a sense of confidence, belonging, and social acceptance, while teaching their peers respect, empathy, and inclusiveness. As one parent observed, “Watching the kids hold hands and complete the challenges together made me realize that true inclusion means giving everyone the chance to participate equally and shine together.” At the closing, all participants received custom gifts, their bright smiles embodying the event’s mission of promoting understanding through sports and building unity through companionship.

Beyond the games, a charity concert titled “Ancient Tunes, Gentle Hearts” filled the venue with music, blending seamlessly with the cheers of the sports day. Music became a universal language, transcending barriers and offering comfort to all present.

The event was part of Mission Hills Group’s Charity Month in September, organized in partnership with the Longhua Charity Association, Longhua Disabled Persons’ Federation, and Caring Hearts United Fund.

Each week featured unique activities. Earlier programs included “Walk Together,” where participants experienced the challenges faced by people with visual and hearing impairments through wheelchair obstacle courses and sign language ordering, fostering empathy. Another, “Love Together,” offered a day of inclusive activities for children with special needs, such as aquarium visits, intangible cultural heritage workshops, and charity performances. A charity fair and art exhibition running throughout the month further strengthened the atmosphere of compassion.

The month-long initiative will culminate on September 27 with the Parent-Child Rainbow Run and the “Starlight Quintet” Concert.

From empathy-building to hands-on inclusion, from charity fairs to public art, the Charity Month has created a complete “public welfare loop” of experience, participation, and empowerment. Leveraging its venues and resources, Mission Hills has turned commercial spaces into hubs of compassion, linking charities, social groups, and the wider community. What began as a corporate initiative has grown into a collective movement of society.

More than a corporate social responsibility initiative, Charity Month reflects a sustainable practice — an inspiring model for how businesses can fuel social good with innovation and heart.